The present invention relates to X-ray apparatus, particularly to such apparatus usable for inspecting various articles. The recent high incidence of terrorist bombings, aircraft hijackings, and other unlawful acts including property thefts has prompted and necessitated the development of inspect-systems for locating bombs, weapons, and other dangerous objects in luggage, purses, mail, etc.
Some such inspection systems utilize X-rays that are passed through the articles that are to be inspected to form a latent image, which is then converted to a visible image for inspection. In general, this type of inspection system includes an X-ray source for directing an X-ray beam in a certain direction and a fluorescent screen in the path of the X-ray beam, with the article that is to be inspected locatable in the beams path between the source and the X-ray screen. The X-ray image is converted to a light image by the fluorescent screen, the visible image then being viewable with a camera system or by other means known in the art. In this type of system, the X-ray source, fluorescent screen, and camera system (or other optical system) generally are located on the same axis so that the X-ray beam path is along this axis and extends directly from the X-ray source to the optical system. In general, this arrangement is undesirable because of the elongated structure that results, making it difficult to view the image of the inspected article and further, necessitating that the inspected article be raised to a considerable height for placement in the inspection system. A variety of such X-ray inspection system are so modified that a single reflecting surface is located between the fluorescent screen and the optical system, and the light image from the florescent screen is re-directed toward the optical system. Consequently, the X-ray source and the fluorescent screen are located on one axis and the optical system is located on another axis, with both axes intersecting at the reflecting surface. However, this modified system is not fully desirable because it, too, is considerably bulky.
The present invention seeks to overcome or at least alleviate the shortcomings and problems of the prior art inspection systems and to provide further advantages which include providing a structure that can have the viewing position and the chamber loading port located so as to be optionally situated according to human factors engineering standards.